This patent is directed to a wireless casino gaming communication device for communication with a gaming unit, which could be either an individual gaming unit or a casino gaming system having a plurality of gaming units.
A gaming apparatus of the type used in casinos has included a display unit such as a video display unit or a set of mechanical slot machine reels, a value input device such as a coin slot or paper currency reader, and a controller operatively coupled to the display unit and the value input device and having a processor and a memory operatively coupled to the processor. The controller was programmed to control the overall functions of the gaming machine, including generating game displays representing one or more of a number of casino games, such as poker, blackjack, slots, keno or bingo.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0176218 to LeMay et al. discloses a player tracking system that may use a smart card, electronic token or magnetically striped cards as an authentication instrument. The authentication instrument may be input to a gaming machine to authenticate and provide an audit trail. U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0054881 to Hedrick et al. discloses a wireless remote control and interface in communication with a player tracking unit to convey gaming information. U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0232647 to Moser discloses a player tracking system that may use radio frequency identification (RFID) to locate and track a player's activities. When the RFID is within receiving range of a gaming machine, the gaming machine transmits an identification query causing the RFID to broadcast the radio identification. U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0148812 to Paulsen et al. discloses a wireless player tracking system that uses a global positioning system to locate a player and receive player data via a wireless device carried by a player, such as a cell phone, personal digital assistant or RFID. U.S. Pat. No. 6,628,939 to Paulsen discloses a wireless personal gaming device with a display screen that may wirelessly receive game data from a gaming system and display a game.